Australia to Spend €6.7 Billion to Keep Collins-Class Submarines Operational Until 2040 (opex360.com)

• Australia commits €6.7 billion to extend Collins-class submarine service to 2040.
• AUKUS transition from French Barracuda to US/British nuclear submarines delayed.
• Life extension program aims to maintain undersea capability until new SSNs arrive.

"Australia has allocated €6.7 billion to extend the service life of its six Collins-class submarines through 2040, following delays in the AUKUS submarine program. The original plan to replace them with French-designed Shortfin Barracuda submarines was canceled in 2021 in favor of acquiring US Virginia-class and British-designed SSN-AUKUS nuclear submarines. However, the new submarines are not expected to be fully operational until the late 2030s or 2040s, necessitating the life extension of the aging diesel-electric Collins fleet."